Aeroplane



Sept. 1s, 19% ONA 1,974,040

AEROiLANE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed F'gb. 10. 1954 v Inventor Jazz 219 [22 772 one 4/ /1 Home y P 1934- L. CORMONA AEROPLANE Filed Feb. 10 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invenior jauzlfl my? @22@ A) Sept. 18, 1934 CORMONA 1,974,040

AEROPLANE Filed Feb. 1o, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet s I; v Z5 2 y 6 o if @2 nvnior jaw 225' fnzaim Patented Sept. 18, 1934 AEROPLANE Louis Cormona, Throop, Pa.

Application February 10, 1934, Serial No. 710,678

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to aeroplanes in general, and more particularly to new and useful improvements in tail assemblies therefor and' has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a tail assembly comprising a single hinged control member or surface in lieu of the conventional elevator and rudder, the invention also obviating the necessity for ailerons on the wings of the plane.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide novel means for actuating the single control member or surface. a

Other objects of the invention are to provide a tail assembly of the aforementioned character for aeroplanes which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly eflicient and reliable in operation, light in weight, compact and which maybe manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of an aeroplane constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the tail. assembly which constitutes the gist of the present invention, the top of the fuselage being removed to 'expose the operating mechanism.

5 Figure 4 is a view in vertical transverse section, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

, Figure 5 is a view in vertical transverse section, taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the tail assembly. K

Figure 7 is a detail view in vertical transverse section, taken substantially on the line '7'7 of Figure 6.v

Figurev 8 is a detail view in perspective of the vane.

Figure 9 is a detail view in perspective of the rudder. p 7

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a cabin type fuselage 1 having mounted thereon a single high wing 2 which is provided with braces or struts 3. The fuselage 1 is mounted on pairs of front and rear wheels 4 and 5, respectively. Mounted on the nose of the fuselage 1 is the usual propeller 6.

I As best seen in Figures 4 and 6 of the drawings, the rear end of the fuselage 1 has mounted therein a roller bearing 7 in which a disk 8 is journaled, said disk being provided with openings 9 for a purpose which will be presently set forth. Fixed in the rotary disk 8 and extending therethrough into the fuselage 1 is a plate 10, the rearwardlyprojecting end portion of which is bifurcated for the reception of a tapered vane 11 which is fixed to said plate 10. The reference numeral 12 designates a rudder which ishingedly connected, as at 13, to the comparatively wide rear end of the vane 11.

Fixed on the forward end of the plate 10 is a shaft 14 which is journaled in a cross member 15 provided therefor in the fuselage 1. Fixed on the shaft 14 is a comparatively large gear 16 which is in mesh with a comparatively small gear 1'7 which, in turn, is fixed on a longitudinal shaft 18. The shaft 18 is journaled in cross members 19 and 20 which are provided therefor in the fuselage 1 and said shaft has fixed on its forward end portion a hand wheel 21. It will thus be seen that the vane 11 and the rudder 12 may be rotatably adjusted to any desired position by an operator or pilot in the fuselage 1.

Referring now to Figure 7 of the drawings, it will be seen that the plate 10 has formed therein at an intermediate point a pair of slots 22 in which a pair of levers 23 are operable. The levers 23 are mounted at an intermediate point on a transverse shaft 24 which, in turn, is mounted in suitable bearings 25 which are provided therefor on the plate 10. Swingingly and slidably mounted between the upper end portions of the levers 23 is a nut 26. The nut 26 is mounted on a pin 27 which is operable in slots 28 which are provided therefor in the levers 23, said pin 27having eyes 29 on its ends. The lower ends of the levers 23 are provided with eyes 30. Control wires 31 operatively connect the rudder 12 to the levers 23 for actuation thereby, said wires extending slidably through the openings 9 in the rotary disk 8 and through suitable guides 32. The forward ends of the wires 31 are connected to the eyes 29 and 30.

Fixed on the rear portion of the shaft 14 for movement therewith is an arm 33 in which a screw shaft 34 is journaled, said screw shaft being threadedly engaged in the nut 26. Fixed on the forward end portion of the screw shaft 34 is a hand wheel 35. The reference numeral 36 designates platforms which are suspended from the cross member 15 and which rest on the cross caused to ascend or descend as desired by simply actuating the hand wheel 35 for swinging said rudder in a vertical plane, as is believed to be apparent. Should it be desired to make a turn, the hand wheelzl is actuated to rotate the vane 11 and the rudder 12 thereon to or toward a vertical position, after which the turn may be ac complished by manipulating the rudder 12. Of course, the vane 11 and the rudder 12 may be ro= tated to any intermediate position between the vertical and the horizontal to cause the plane to travel in any desired direction.

It is believed that the many advantages of an aeroplane constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:--

1. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a disk rotatably mounted in the rear end portion of the fuselage, a plate fixed in the disk for rotation therewith, a vane fixed on the plate and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a rudder hingedly mounted on the vane, manually operable means for rotating the plate, a pair of levers pivotally mounted, at an intermediate point, on the plate,

means operatively connecting the rudder to the levers for actuation thereby, a screw shaft rotatably mounted on the plate for movement therewith, means operatively connecting the levers to the screw shaft for actuation thereby, and means for actuating the screw shaft.

2. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a disk rotatably mounted in the rear end portion of the fuselage, a plate fixed in the disk for rotation therewith, a. rearwardly projecting vane fixed on the plate, a rudder hingedly mounted on the vane, levers pivotally mounted, at an intermediate point, on the plate, flexible elements operatively connecting the rudder to the levers for actuation thereby, a shaft fixed on the plate, an-= other shaft rotatably mounted in the fuselage, means for actuating the second named shaft, means operatively connecting the first named shaft to the second named shaft for actuation thereby, an arm supported on the plate, a screw shaft journaled in the arm, means for actuating the screw shaft, and means operatively connecting the levers to the screw shaft for actuation thereby. I

3. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a disk rotatably mounted in the rear end portion of the fuselage, a plate fixed in the disk for rotation therewith, a rearwardly projecting vane fixed on the plate, a rudder hingedly mounted on the vane, levers pivotally mounted, at an intermediate point, on the plate, flexible elements operatively connecting the rudder to the levers for actuation thereby, a shaft fixed on the plate, another shaft rotatably mounted in the fuselage, means for actuating the second named shaft, means operatively connecting the first named shaft to the second named shaft for actuation thereby, an arm supported on the plate, a screw shaft journaled in the means for actuating the screw shaft, and means operatively connecting the levers to the screw shaft for actuation thereby, the last named means including a nut pivotally and slidably connected to the levers, said screw shaft being threadedly engaged with the nut.

4. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a plate rotatably mounted in the rear end portion of said fuselage, means for rotating the plate, said plate having slots therein, a rudder hlngedly mounted on the plate and rotatable therewith, a shaft mounted on the plate, a pair ofspaced levers journaled, at an intermediate point, on the shaft and operable in the slots, a nut mounted between the levers, a manually operable screw shaft rotatably supported on the plate and threadedly engaged with the nut for actuating the levers, and means operatively connecting the rudder to the end portions of the levers for actuation thereby.

LOUIS CORMONA. 

